Love the feeling of satisfaction and completing something new? Because I know I for sure do. Especially getting the reward from it as well. Well this is how you can make that all possible.

Starting a garden can be hard, especially for those who don’t have the green thumb. But once you get it started, it’s hard to quit. Gardening does involve getting a little dirty and playing in the soil. At the end of the day, the work you put in will only result in how well the garden turns out.

The first step is to ask yourself “Why do I want a garden?” This is because once you realize what you want to do, then you’ll make sure to keep at it. Just a reminder, at the beginning some pests will come, that is totally normal. It is also normal to be discouraged. It’ll be hard, especially those with “black thumbs.”

The second step will to be set goals. Remember that those goals need to be realistic and reachable. Although you’ve already had the reason of WHY you want a garden, this is going to help with when the garden will be started.

Plan. Plan. Plan. Nothing will work if you do not know how well those plants grow, and how long it takes to grow. So, prioritize.

Once you have planned when you will do it, figure out where each of those plants will go. Some plants need specifications on how much sun each will need, and how much water needed.

Lastly, enjoy your garden! And the results to come after it.

WARNING: MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR UTILITY LINES ARE SO WHEN YOU’RE DIGGING, YOU DON’T ACCIDENTALLY HIT SOMETHING.

Some people are lucky and never have to brave a winter storm to head to the grocery store or work. Though these tips are specifically for driving in the snow I think that a lot of them work just as well with extremely rainy conditions as well.

If you can avoid driving altogether when the conditions get rough, please do! But sometimes you absolutely have to drive, and in those cases please remember these tips.

1. Check your tires.

Before the first snowfall comes make sure to check your tires to see if they have sufficient tread to handle icy roads. In order to test your tread take a penny and hold it so that Mr. Lincolns head is facing down. Insert the penny in between the tread on your tires and if you cover the top of Mr. Lincolns’ head, you’re good. If the tread doesn’t reach the top of his head then you probably need new tires.

2. Drive slowly.

This one seems so obvious, but there are so many people who must forget because there are so many accidents caused by cars going way too fast. Even if you do end up hitting another car or running into a fence, if you’re going a slow speed there likely won’t be much damage.

3. Don’t come to a full stop, if possible.

If you can slow down way before a stoplight and be going slowly enough that you can continue through as it changes to green before you fully approach it, go ahead and do that as you may otherwise get stuck on the ice.

4. Understand your brakes.

If you have ABS (anti-lock brakes) then you simply need to push the brake all the way down when you’re trying to stop quickly. It is normal for the pedal to vibrate quite a bit when you’re stopping, that means that the ABS is working! If you do not have ABS you’ll need to pump your brakes in order to come to a quick stop.

5. Accelerate slowly.

You can’t expect your car to accelerate as quickly when the roads are icy. If you get the wheels spinning too quickly off of the get-go you won’t gain enough traction and may end up digging yourself holes in the ice and snow that your wheels will get stuck in.

6. Give yourself plenty of room to stop.

It can be easy to revert to your sunny-day driving and trail behind the car in front of you without giving much room. But when the roads are icy you won’t be able to stop as quickly and may end up rear-ending the other car! On dry pavement you should follow someone by about 3 to 4 seconds. When there are winter conditions present, you should increase that to 8 to 10 seconds at least.

If the conditions are too bad, please try to stay home and wait for the weather to lighten up and for the roads to be plowed and salted. If you must venture out, please be safe!

Oh, holiday food. Why must you be so fattening?

Eggnog, cookies, candy canes, oh my! My favorite cookies come out this time of year, along with delicious flavors of hot chocolate. With all of the yummy foods out this time of year, it’s hard to keep from packing on the extra pounds. Here are a few tips that may help, though. Check them out!

Don’t stop your exercise regimen!

If you want to indulge, make up for it by increasing your activity level.

Restrict yourself to one treat a day, such as a glass of champagne or a piece of cake.

Don’t stick yourself by the food. Remember to mingle and have fun! If you’re talking, you can’t be eating! (Or, at least not politely!)

Eat a healthy meal before you attend parties.

Eat foods high in fiber which keep you fuller longer!

Hope this helps you stop the traditional ten pound holiday gain! And if not, I suppose there are always New Year’s Resolutions!

Crafting with children doesn’t have to be expensive. Most paints, play dough, and even crayons can be made at home. There are other things in our homes that make great crafting supplies. Unfortunately many of them get thrown away. The next time you throw out one of these items stop and think about its crafting potential.

Toilet Paper Rolls

If you’ve got a large family, you’re sure to have lots of these ending up in the trash. Instead of simply throwing them away, let the kiddos decorate them!

Milk Cartons

Milk cartons are great for making bird feeders or making a planter. They are sturdy enough to be hung from a balcony or tree. The are fun to paint and easy to poke or cut holes in. If you have the type with the twist cap top, that part can be used as a funnel when filling other items. A carton with top cut off can even be used as a storage container for craft supplies like paint brushes, colored pencils, chalk, and crayons.

Soda Bottles

Soda bottles can also be made into bird feeders and planters, but they are more versatile than that. They can be cut as scoops, with the top as a handle. They can be taped together top to top to make the soda bottle whirl pool. This can be made even more fun by adding a few drops of your favorite color to the water in your bottles. With a little paper mache, paint, and a pair of scissors they can even be made into creative piggy banks.

Cardboard Contraptions

A cereal box can be turned into a robot with toilet paper roll arms and legs. If you cut them up you can use them to create buildings and props in shoe box dioramas of farms, cities, or what ever your heart desires. Or you can use the inside of boxes to create bedroom signs or create homemade picture frames. Toilet paper or paper towel rolls can be cut to create play dough cookie cutters or rolling pins.

Egg Cartons

Egg cartons are a good way to store an egg shaped amount of play dough without mixing the colors. They are also a great way to separate and store paints you are using during crafting for a quick clean up.

Jars

Saved and cleaned up jars are great for jar gifts, storing homemade laundry soap, and other jar crafts. Just clean them out and keep the lid. Take off the label and whatever adhesive was holding it on. Decorate them as you see fit and use them in your jar craft the next time you use one.

You may already know that stores have sales cycles that change every month or so. Often they stock up on certain items (often ones related to the holidays or seasons) that then need to be removed from the shelves once the appropriate time has passed. When those stores are looking to move items from their shelves is the best time to buy those particular items.

Let’s move from the abstract to the concrete as we look at what items are discounted this month.

1. Baking Supplies. The best thing about baking supplies going on sale is that they are easy to store. If you use baking cups regularly, be on the look out for discounts. Also, if you don’t mind the holiday decorations on them, you will be able to get those at half price or better on the day after Christmas. You’ll also find flour, spices (I just bought organic spices at 50% off last week!), chocolate chips (which store very easily in the freezer or the pantry), condensed milk, and pumpkin puree (who says you can’t have pumpkin pie in January!) discounted this month.

2. Thrift Store Merchandise. This is not as much about a discount as it is about availability and selection. A lot of people are trying to get last minute donations in before the end of the year for tax purposes. So, thrift stores like Goodwill and other organizations (with the tax-exempt status) will have plenty to choose from by the end of the month.

3. Gift Cards. Right now there are lots of promotions offering “bonus cash” if you buy a gift card. So, if it’s a store or restaurant you frequent regularly and you have the cash (after you’re done with all your shopping), then it’s a great way to maximize your money.

Winter is almost HERE!

Now that the weather has cooled off (at least it has here in Utah!), it’s time to plan out some fun activities during the holiday season! The chaos of gift shopping and hosting family members can make the holiday season stressful, so be sure to take some time to relax and have fun with your loved ones.

Here are a few of my favorite ideas…

Go ice skating

Find some snowy hills to go sledding

Pack up everyone in the car to go for hot chocolates

Find the most festive neighborhoods in your city and drive around to see the lights

Look for a free live nativity by where you live

Think up a few random acts of kindness to do together

Watch Christmas movies in your pajamas

Build a blanket fort and drape Christmas lights over the top

Find 3 cookie recipes and bake all 3 (you could even have a cookie bake-off and see who bakes the best cookies)

Make Christmas Candies together

Attend a Christmas play at a local school or theater

Host a game night complete with all of your favorites

Decorate Gingerbread houses together

Indoor S’mores (you can roast marshmallows over an unscented candle or simply microwave them for a few seconds)

Blast holiday music at home and have a dance party

I could go on and on; there are so many fun activities that don’t cost much, or cost nothing at all! All you need are a few of your favorite people, a cold winters’ night, and you’re good to go!

What are some of your favorite things to do when the weather gets cold?

If you’re in need of a little extra cash, especially as we head into the crazy holiday season, then you have come to the right place for ideas! It can be so hard to build up additional cash for Christmas presents when you’re already juggling the other expenses life throws at ya, and it’s not always probable that you’ll get a raise or find a higher-paying job in time for the holidays. Because of that, I’ve compliled 5 of my favorite ways to earn some extra cash for the holiday season!

Legal focus groups:

I just participated in my first focus group last week, and I loved it! Basically, some law firms need people to come in for a few hours where they can gather opinions on certain legal cases. This helps them to strengthen their cases, or determine whether to take on particular cases at all. The group I attended was 3 hours long, lots of fun, and best of all they provided dinner and refreshments along with a $50 check for my participation! Not bad for just a few hours of my day.

Sell your clothing:

Whenever I clean out my closet, I gather a large bag of clothes that I don’t want any more, and I take them to a local thrift store in Utah called Plato’s Closet. The store will look through my clothes and pick out the items they want. They’ll then offer me cash for those items and return the rest, which I then donate to a charity. I’ve received as much as $70 to as little as $15 – this varies depending on the sizes you provide, and whether the items are currently in-style.

Yard sale/Craigslist:

This one is tried and true. I’m sure you have lots of items just sitting around in your house. Instead of letting it take up space and accumulate dust, sell it! There are lots of apps and websites that you can list your items on if you’re not interested in hosting a yard sale.

There you go! Just 3 of my favorite ways to get a little extra cash. Try them out and let me know what you think! Good luck!

How to make it:

Hold the coffee filter with your fingers, gathering the cotton balls in the center to create the angel’s head.

Place a second coffee filter onto the open end, tucking the filter in a bit into the head area. This will produce the layered effect on the dress .

While still holding the filter together, tie a piece of gold or silver ribbon around the “neck” and tie a tight bow. Trim ends and set aside .

Take the third coffee filter and fold it in half, then fold the filter up length-wise accordion style. Wrap a white chenille stem around the center, and then fan out the wings . Fold the excess chenille into a loop for your hanger and twist together at the end.

Make a halo from the gold chenille by wrapping it around something circular, such as the top of a paint bottle. Twist the ends to form the halo. Trim the long end of the chenille, leaving approximately 3”

Have an adult hot glue the halo to the back of the angel so that it is positioned above the head.

Glue the wings in place behind the angel, hiding the gold chenille from the halo.